Frequently Asked Questions

We offer free standard shipping on all merchandise orders that are $99 and over to the US and CA and $175 (excluding taxes) for international orders. For shipments totalling less than $99, there is a delivery charge that can be find ON OUR SHIPPING POLICY PAGE.   

While we do our best to always ship orders as fast as possible, timelines may be extended due to weather, demand, and other unforeseen events. Typically, your order will ship 1-2 business days after being placed. Processing and delivery times do not include Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

We sure do. Click HERE to find out rates for your region. Please note, for international orders, shipping fees are exclusive of duties and taxes. These charges are levied by the country you are shipping to, and payment is necessary to release your order from customs on arrival. If the customs charges are not paid, the order will be returned back to VSSL.

We can ship to an APO/FPO/DPO address, however, transit times can take longer than mentioned above.  

VSSL was built to adventure as hard as you do. But if anything does happen to your VSSL you don’t have to worry; it’s backed with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. Depending on the situation you may be eligible for a repair, replacement, or refund. To find our more about our Limited Lifetime Warranty, please click HERE . 

We can ship to PO boxes in the US or Canada. Please note however, we cannot guarantee expedited delivery to P.O. Boxes or rural zip codes. We are unable to ship to International P.O. Boxes.

Due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, we are temporarily unable to ship to PO Boxes. We are actively monitoring the situation and will resume normal shipping as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time.

Short answer: we’ll try! Long answer: as long as your order hasn’t been sent to our warehouse for fulfillment, we should be able to cancel it. Please contact us at support@vsslgear.com or use our LIVE CHAT option to see if your order is eligible for cancellation.

Generally, you can pay a little extra for Express service. Please note however, VSSL Camp Supplies, Fire Starter Supply Pack and Fire Starting Tin can only be shipped via Ground service as they contain matchsticks. Thanks for your understanding!

Our policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we can’t offer you a refund or exchange. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. To complete your return, we do require a receipt or proof of purchase. To request a return, complete our RETURN REQUEST FORM. 

Reach out to support@vsslgear.com for more information.

To submit a VSSL product for limited warranty, you can contact either the authorized VSSL reseller from where you purchased your product or the VSSL HQ at support@vsslgear.com. 

Please note, our limited warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship in this product and does not cover any damage, deterioration or malfunction resulting from any alteration, modification, improper or unreasonable use or maintenance, misuse, abuse, accident, neglect, exposure to excess moisture, fire, improper packing and shipping (such claims must be presented to the carrier), lightning, power surges, or other acts of nature.

Each VSSL unit is made from military spec (Mil_Spec) 6061 seamless extruded aluminum - practically indestructible. The lights are comprised of 3, 1 watt LED (Cree) bulbs. Three bulbs provides redundancy.

Our lights use 3 N-type (generic name), or E90 (Energizer) batteries. They are outstanding batteries and can be found in most hardware stores, electronic stores, camera stores, or ordered through us: (click here to order batteries).  

We spent substantial time in product development sourcing the best type of battery for this application with the help of the experts from Emerging Power. Emerging Power is an ISO 9001:2008 certified – ITAR registered and FM Certified products -manufacturer of OEM and replacement batteries and charger products based in New Jersey. Their list of satisfied OEMs includes many Fortune 500 customers.

AAA batteries are far more common; we know this. AAA and AA batteries power most of today's small portable electronics. The downside is that these batteries are snapped up really fast in the event of an emergency. Disasters such as Hurricane Katrina taught us that less common batteries are actually more readily available during supply shortages. We can assume that hoarding during the zombie apocalypse will also deplete store shelves of more common batteries.

Our N-Type batteries have the same capacity as a high end (Energizer, Duracell) AAA battery (~1000 mAh*) but with a smaller form factor, allowing us to create a smaller light but still use high capacity batteries.

When properly closed, each VSSL cylinder and its contents are protected from the elements including temporary exposure to water. The light is water-resistant on its own or attached to a VSSL.

Only the VSSL Flask which is lined with glass is intended to hold liquid. In a pinch, you can other VSSLs for carrying water.

We supply blank tins so you can outfit your VSSL unit with your own contents (click here to purchase). If you do use your own contents, please send us a picture - we'd love to see how you use your VSSL. We offer three sizes of empty tins: Extra Large, Large, and Small. 

The long and short is we've gone through TSA "approval" however, it's really up to the discretion of the agent at the time. None of the items are currently on the TSA exclusion list. The VSSL team flies with them all the time with rarely an incident.

We've found the usable/functional light time is about 20 hrs. In S.O.S mode, it broadcasts a visible signal for about 40 hrs.

Right here! Use the following links to view or download a PDF version. 

JAVA Manual

JAVA Grind Guide

VSSL (PRONOUNCED “VESSEL”) believes your critical gear should be secure, waterproof-sealed, and ready when you need it. Every VSSL unit is designed to be compact, portable, and durable; every cylinder is built with completely seamless 6061 aircraft-grade aluminum.

Our compact design makes it easy to carry your go-to gear with you wherever you go, while the waterproof, indestructible aircraft grade aluminum cylinder ensures that whatever essentials you’ve packed stay safe and dry in any environment. We’ve pre-packed each VSSL (or your can build your own with our BYO Tool) with out door essentials to provide you with a faster and more reliable way to prepare, organize and carry gear.

Please checkout our Corporate & Group Sales Program page for more information. We’re here to help your company stand out, and our exceptional product range is perfect for group gifts, reward programs, gift baskets, and special events. We will customize our products with your logo and imagery to create a gift that’s unique.

We are proudly designed and built in Canada. VSSL HQ is located in Abbotsford, BC. We also have a warehouse in Washington state. 

Survival Light Products Inc. Canada

2494 Clearbrook Road

Ste 102 PMB 22

Abbotsford, BC

V2T 2Y2

Survival Light Products Inc. USA

726 Cherry Street

Sumas, WA

98295

All VSSL products can be purchased online HERE.  Please also check our STORE LOCATOR to find a VSSL  retailer near you.

Interested in selling VSSL? We’ve got a wholesale policy for both domestic and international wholesalers. Email any questions to sales@vsslgear.com.

Thank you! We are indeed only human. Please let us know by contacting us HERE   

Please review our privacy privacy notice HERE. To learn more and opt out as a California resident, select Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information .

In 1986, the State of California passed the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act; otherwise known as “Proposition 65” or "Prop 65". Prop 65 requires businesses like ours to disclose to individuals the presence of chemicals listed in the Act prior to point of sale. There are more than 900 chemicals on the Prop 65 Chemical List, including many chemicals that are found in components of a wide array of consumer goods or are used to manufacture components that make up consumer goods.

Why do we include this warning?

VSSL has chosen to provide consumers with as much information as possible so that they can make informed decisions about the products they buy and use. We provide warnings in certain cases based on our knowledge of the presence of one or more listed chemicals without evaluating the level of exposure, as not all the listed chemicals provide exposure limit requirements. While the exposure from our products may be negligible or well within the “no significant risk” range, out of an abundance of caution, we have elected to provide the Prop 65 warnings. Moreover, if we do not provide these warnings, we could be sued by the State of California or by private parties seeking to enforce Prop 65 and subject to substantial penalties.

At VSSL, we go to great effort to select materials that offer superior value, quality, and durability while also being generally recognized as safe and reliable for the full life of the product. To ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements, VSSL has placed a warning on products that contain a Prop 65 listed chemical, either directly or as a part of the raw material supply chain. This allows us to comply with California law and provide our California consumers with the disclosure required by Prop 65. Visit HERE to learn more.

We love our customers and from time to time, offer discounts or promo codes so they can experience VSSL at a stellar price. Discount codes can be applied in your order checkout. Generally, only one promo or discount code can be applied per order and the system will default to the larger discount. Order discounts (a $ or % off the total order) cannot be stacked with product discounts (discounts on a specific product or product category). Please be respectful when using promo codes and keep then for your individual use only and refrain from posting or sharing. Thank you!

Yep! On any page where we ask you to enter your address, phone number, or credit card information, we use secure socket layer (SSL) to encrypt the communication.

We sure do. You can order a gift card for use on www.vsslgear.com HERE.

We believe in self-expression. And yes, that includes your logo! We have a wide variety of items that you can customize. You can learn more about our Corporate and Group Sales Program HERE . 

Once you have added your items to cart you can then move on to checkout. On the checkout page at the top right under your in-cart items is a field to apply a gift card or discount code. You enter your Gift Card number in this field and hit apply to redeem it’s funds.

VSSL gift cards are a digital item. Once purchased you will receive your order confirmation, and the gift card will be emailed to the recipient separately. These can end up in your promotions or junk folder so take a scan in there and you should find it. If you still have no luck, you can reach us at support@vsslgear.com and we can jump in to help.

Gift cards are available for purchase in USD. For customers shopping in another currency, conversion takes place when the gift card is redeemed at the checkout. This conversion uses the exchange rate at the time that the gift card is redeemed, and not the exchange rate that was in place when the gift card was purchased.

Discount codes cannot be applied when purchasing a digital gift card.

For returned items originally purchased with a digital gift card, we'll issue your refund as a new digital gift card with the same value. If a split payment was used, we refund the alternative payment method first before we issue a gift card for the remaining amount.

VSSL digital gift cards do not expire.